This invention relates to packing elements into larger containers. In particular, the invention relates to packing egg cartons into wire baskets.
Existing equipment is available to grade size and package eggs in egg cartons automatically. Before the cartons are shipped to market the cartons are packed in turn in wire baskets for protection against crushing.
Different devices have been developed for automatically packing cartons such as egg cartons into baskets or crates. Difficulties however arise in the automatic feed, and the tendency of the cartons to catch on the sides of the baskets. This results in breakage or mispacking. Moreover, the system to control the drop of cartons into the basket requires generally complex electronics to control the packaging operation. Other automatic systems which are available provide other difficulties, for instance, in not being adaptable to different size cartons for packing in the basket. In the Applicant's knowledge there is currently no system which is available for effectively achieving the objective of automatically packaging egg cartons as described.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine which overcomes problems of existing packaging apparatus and is particularly adaptable to packaging of egg cartons in wire or similar baskets.